Sharing inspirations for holidays and every day

Christmas and New Year mark our lifetime in a more profound way than any other holidays. This is the time when most of us pause all frantic activities, re-evaluate and plan.

Therefore, it is a good time for inspiration and learning.

Below I have compiled some of my recent inspirations. I hope that you find them useful in preparing for your own holidays.

A week ago, I discovered a new YouTube channel, Picking up limes, dedicated to “foodies, minimalists, travellers and all beautiful souls”.

The creator of the channel, Sadia, promises “a calm and relaxing space with … videos that help to nourish the cells and the soul.” I watched many of the videos and believe that Sadia delivers on her promises. 

You could also visit her website. I am looking forward to some free time to read the blog and dive into Sadia’s recipes.  

Update: I made these Sadia's pancakes last night and they turned out pretty good. I did not have buckwheat flour, instead, used whole wheat flour. I also used water instead of plant-based milk and sprayed my pan with olive oil instead of using coconut oil.

 
How to keep relaxed and calm, and yet have amazing holidays? 

Maybe we should all introduce some hygge into our holidays. Here is the advice of Jenny Mustard on how to celebrate Christmas in hygge style:

 

I am aesthetically and visually driven person.  Looking at creative arrangements and decorations for the holidays inspire me and allow me to bring more energetic spirit into my house, break the monotony of our everyday routine.

Here are three blogs that are a feast for the senses and might inspire you to put together an unexpected background for the seasonal celebrations:

Liiv blog

Hof 9

@mycasa

Loreta blog 

Dishfunctional Designs
 
What are the holidays without the warmth and enticing aromas of baked dishes, cookies and breads?

I am not a fan of sugar or any cakes, but this gorgeous gingerbread village cake presentation inspired me to concoct my own version of a minimal-sugar cake. 

I am planning on using two layers of my banana brownie recipe and a raspberry-coconut filling to "build" my own Christmas cake.

 

If the result is good, I will share the exact recipe.  Meanwhile, why not invent your own cake recipe, or maybe re-invent an old favorite recipe, in which you substitute the unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones?


I will also try these oat cookies on one of my days off, and maybe surprise my family with some almond pancakes.

 
Not having any plans for Christmas yet? Here is how Jenny celebrates her Christmas.  Why not try something new this year?

How about you, how do you bring the holidays home?

For the love of cheese

I love cheese; however, I am aware that too much of it is not great for my health. Therefore, I try to reduce the fat intake from cheese, without giving up the taste and flavor of cheese.

My first trick is to strain fat-free yogurt, add garlic, salt, and olive oil. This is a pretty good substitute for my favorite feta cheese. Of course, you could make it fancier by adding dill, crushed walnuts, olives, or even cucumbers (as in Tzatziki).  The yogurt spread on toasted bread.

My second approach is to crumble feta cheese with a fork and add non-fat yogurt to the density of a spread. To diversify the taste, add  a bit of olive oil and spices (e.g., black pepper, garlic, chopped baked and peeled peppers, chopped olives, red pepper flakes, etc.).

I also cook with cheese in a way that the taste is enhanced despite the small amount of cheese used. Here are two ideas for baked sandwiches:

Baked cheese sandwiches

1. Use dense type of bread. Mix crumbled feta cheese with a raw egg (add black pepper, if you like), and spread on slices of bread. Bake/grill until the egg is not runny. You could also butter the bread first, and then spread the egg-cheese mixture.

2. Grate cheese on top of a slice of bread, add your favorite spices (e.g., black pepper, hot pepper flakes, basil or savory) and bake.

Here is one appetizer recipe:

Baked peppers with cheese
Use ready-to-eat baked and peeled peppers (I buy Daily Chef Whole Roasted Peppers, the link is below). Cut thin slices of your favorite cheese, stuff them into the peppers. Heat a pan, oil it (with olive oil or use no-stick spray) and warm up the peppers on both sides until the cheese starts melting. Serve warm or cold.


Here is also one very "cheesy" recipe for a main dish:

Poached eggs with feta cheese and yogurt  
For this dish, you will need to poach a few eggs. I plan on two eggs per person. Break the eggs carefully into a pan of boiling water and cook.

For serving, prepare crumbled feta cheese mixed with yogurt and crushed garlic. Distribute the mixture into individual plates. Once the poached eggs are ready, drain them on a paper towel and then transfer onto the cheese-yogurt “bedding” in each individual dish. 

In a clean pan, melt a bit of butter (I use Smart Balance instead of butter), add a pinch of paprika, swirl quickly, and pour this fragrant mix on top of each egg (a teaspoon per egg would do).

Weekend cooking - mushrooms with dill soup

Being faithful to my advice to eat more soup, weekends are my time to replenish the stock of frozen soup for the next work week. 

This weekend, I will cook chicken soup, green beans soup or try a new recipe for mushroom soup (see below). I have plenty of frozen dill from last summer, so even if my supermarket does not offer fresh dill, I have a solution. Alternatively, one could buy dried dill that is usually available all year around in any supermarket. 
 

Mushrooms with dill soup
You need 2 pounds of mushrooms, two bunches of dill (finely chopped), 3 Tbsp. cooking oil, 2 Tbsp. flour, salt.

Preparation
Wash the mushrooms and cut into slices. Heat the oil and add the mushrooms. Cover and cook with occasional stirring until the mushrooms are soft. Add 8 cups of water, sprinkle the flour, and boil for 5-6 minutes. Add the salt and dill and turn off the heat. Serve with lemon juice (optional).

Alternative mushrooms with dill and bulgur soup 
You need 2 pounds of mushrooms (washed and sliced), one-two bunches of dill (finely chopped), one sweet onion, 1/2-1 cup quick cooking bulgur wheat, 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 Tbsp. flour, and salt.  

Preparation
Slice the onion thinly and soften in olive oil (5-6 minutes). Stir frequently, and add a few spoons of water when the onion starts to burn. Add the sliced mushrooms, 2 Tbsp of flour, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add 20 cups of water and the bulgur. Bring to boil, turn to low heat and continue to boil for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add salt and dill. Serve with lemon juice and black pepper (optional).